In its first public comment since the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, the National Rifle Association (NRA) today assigned some of the blame for mass shootings on violent video games.

"There exists in this country a callous, corrupt and corrupting
shadow industry that sells, and sows, violence against its own people," Wayne LaPierre, NRA executive vice president, said during a press conference this morning.

That includes "vicious, violent video games with names like Bulletstorm, Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat and Splatterhouse," LaPierre continued.

"Namco Bandai Games America Inc. and all of its employees would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to the families that lost loved ones in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings," Namco, which produces Splatterhouse, said in a statement. "Every year Namco Bandai Games publishes a variety of video games that appeal to different age groups from kids to adults; all of which abide by the strict age rating requirements set forth by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB)."

Epic Games, which produces Bulletstorm, declined to comment on the NRA's statement. Rock Star Games (Grand Theft Auto) and Warner Bros. (Mortal Kombat) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LaPierre also called out an online game called Kindergarten Killers.

"It's been online for 10 years. How come my research department could find it and all of yours either couldn't or didn't want anyone to know you had found it?" he asked.

As Buzzfeed pointed out, however, Kindergarten Killers was never particularly popular, while "the original version was deleted by popular demand." The website on which the game was published, Newgrounds.com, has a history of posting "intentionally shocking material," Buzzfeed said.

Earlier this week, GamerFitNation founder Antwand Pearman called for a one-day "ceasefire" among those who play online shooting games. Pearman wanted gamers to "just put your controller down and show your love" on Friday, as part of the Day of Ceasefire For Online Shooters.

At this point, there has been no reported link between violent video games and Friday's shooting, which left 20 children and six adults dead. Pearman said on his Facebook page that "we are not blaming video games." In a video message, the game enthusiast talked about his own childhood, growing up around gun violence, and how he wants the world to know that gamers have hearts, too.

The NRA's LaPierre, meanwhile, also placed some of the blame on violent movies and TV shows, and the media. He called for armed guards and law enforcement officials at every school in America.

The NRA declined to take questions from the media assembled at today's press conference, saying it would answer queries starting on Monday. But LaPierre is scheduled to appear on Sunday's Meet the Press.

On Wednesday, President Obama said that he has asked Vice President Joe Biden "to lead an effort that includes members of my Cabinet and outside organizations to come up with a set of concrete proposals [to reduce gun violence] no later than January - proposals that I then intend to push without delay."

Earlier this morning, meanwhile, the White House contacted those who had signed an online petition to reduce gun violence to say that "President Obama is paying close to attention to the public response to this tragedy."

"We hear you," Obama said in a video message (below) to those who signed the petition. "This week I called on Congress to take up and pass common-sense legislation that has the support of the majority of the American people, including banning the sale of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips."

The White House is also asking people to share their thoughts on reducing gun violence via whitehouse.gov.

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 8:15 p.m. Eastern with comment from Namco Bandai.

About the Author

Before joining PCMag.com, Chloe covered financial IT for Incisive Media in NYC and technology policy for The National Journal's Technology Daily in Washington, DC. She has held internships at NBC's Meet the Press, washingtonpost.com, the Tate Gallery press office in London, Roll Call, and Congressional Quarterly. She graduated with a bachelor's deg... See Full Bio

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